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Magnotta wanted to be escort in Germany, trial hears

WARNING: Some the images are graphic and images of written notes contain vulgar language that some may find offensive.
The court released to the public images of items entered into evidence at the Luke Magnotta murder trial, which are available for viewing in this gallery.
Montreal police investigator Michel Bourque brings evidence into the Luka Magnotta murder trial in Montreal, Sept. 30, 2014. (CHANTAL POIRIER/QMI Agency)

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MONTREAL — Luka Magnotta planned to start a new life as a German escort after killing and dismembering Jun Lin, his murder trial heard Wednesday.

The remarks came from convicted pedophile Frank Rubert, who was flown in to Canada to testify against the murder defendant.

Rubert, who has more than 100 criminal convictions in Germany, harboured Magnotta for four days prior to the Toronto native's arrest in June 2012.

He said that once Magnotta was taken into custody, a local police officer offered a birthday greeting to make a terrifying point to the unwitting German host.

"I replied, 'It's not my birthday today,'" Rubert testified through a translator. "The police officer said, 'Yes (it is), because ... you could have been the next.'"

Magnotta, a former small-time porn actor, admits to killing and dismembering Lin in his Montreal apartment. But Magnotta wants the jury to find him not criminally responsible due to schizophrenia.

The Crown counters that Magnotta planned the murder months in advance.

The jury has also learned about an Internet video that shows a body being dismembered and cannibalized.

Rubert, who said he's "self-employed," met Magnotta on a website called Gayromeo in May 2012 and said Magnotta agreed to come to Germany to meet him.

The German said his guest went by the name Kirk or William, claimed to be from Paris and said he was 22 years old. Magnotta was actually 29 at the time.

"He said to me that his (boyfriend) had left him and he wanted to make a new start in Germany," said Rubert, who spent four days shopping and gay-club hopping with his mysterious guest.

Rubert said he didn't have sex with Magnotta, but did take a profile picture of the visitor to help him advertise as an escort.

On the morning of June 4, he dropped Magnotta off at an Internet cafe to run an errand. On the subway, Rubert said he read a newspaper article about Jun Lin's killing, with a photo of the suspect who looked like his guest.

He didn't think it was Magnotta at first, but the horrible truth sunk in and he called police.

"I said to myself, 'How stupid was I to let just anybody come into my apartment without knowing what kind of a person this was?'"

Magnotta had already been arrested at the Internet cafe and was extradited to Canada two weeks later.